Days passed since the sparring match with Chen Zhen, but Lin Feng could still feel the weight of the encounter pressing down on him. The darkness that had awakened within him lingered, always just beneath the surface, like a storm waiting to break. Master Jian had given him time to recover from his wounds, but recovery was not just physical. It was mental, spiritual—something Lin Feng struggled to reconcile with.
Each morning, he would wake to the familiar sounds of the sect's daily routines: the clang of metal on metal as the other disciples trained, the murmur of voices in the distance, and the soft rustling of leaves in the garden. But despite the beauty of the world around him, Lin Feng couldn't shake the feeling that something was fundamentally wrong. His heart was not at peace.
Master Jian had warned him about the danger of unchecked power, but the temptation to tap into the Divine Path system's energy was undeniable. Every time Lin Feng closed his eyes, he could feel it—like an invisible current running through him, urging him to draw more, to become more. His body, his soul—everything was being altered by this energy, and the more he used it, the more he craved it.
He could feel his mind growing restless. The simple exercises that once calmed him now felt like they were holding him back. The small victories he had experienced—dodging Chen Zhen's attacks, learning to control his sword—felt insufficient. The hunger for power only grew.
And yet, deep down, he knew that pushing too far would only lead him to a dangerous place. The darkness. It wasn't something he could ignore, no matter how much he wanted to pretend it wasn't there.
One morning, as he sat in the garden, trying to meditate and focus his thoughts, Master Jian approached. The old man's expression was serious, his eyes sharp, and there was a presence about him that Lin Feng couldn't quite place.
"I've been observing you," Master Jian said quietly, sitting down beside him. "You've been distracted, restless. You're not following your training as you should."
Lin Feng didn't meet his gaze, instead staring at the ground, where the shadows of the trees stretched long in the early light. "I don't feel like myself anymore," he muttered, the words coming out before he could stop them. "The power… it's too much."
Master Jian was silent for a long moment, his gaze never leaving Lin Feng. "The power of the Divine Path System is not something that can be easily controlled. But it is not the power that is the problem. It is what you do with it. Power is a tool. A means to an end. But it is also a test. A trial of your heart."
Lin Feng lifted his head, meeting Master Jian's gaze for the first time. "A trial of my heart?" he asked, confused.
Master Jian nodded slowly, his eyes filled with a strange wisdom. "In the cultivation world, there is a saying: The heart leads the path. A person's heart, their desires, their intentions—these things shape the path they walk. If your heart is filled with darkness, then the path you walk will be filled with darkness. If your heart is pure, then you will find light, even in the darkest of times. But the heart is not so simple, Lin Feng. It is constantly changing. Every choice you make, every step you take, shapes it."
Lin Feng looked down, his hands clenched tightly in his lap. The storm inside him was still there, tugging at him, pulling him in different directions. "How do I control it?" he asked, his voice almost a whisper.
Master Jian's gaze softened for a moment, but his words were firm. "You cannot control the heart, Lin Feng. You can only understand it. Understand what drives you, what makes you feel fear, anger, joy. And when you understand that, you will learn to make choices that align with who you truly are, not who you fear becoming."
Lin Feng's mind was racing. Understand my heart? It seemed like an impossible task, a journey that would require him to confront everything he feared, everything he had tried to bury deep inside.
Master Jian continued, his voice lowering. "There is a trial awaiting you. It will test your heart, your resolve, and your ability to stay true to yourself. But you must be ready. There is no going back once you take the first step."
Lin Feng felt a knot tighten in his chest. He wasn't sure if he was ready. But the restlessness inside him was unbearable. He had to know. He had to understand.
"I'm ready," Lin Feng said, his voice steadier than he felt.
Master Jian studied him for a long moment, as if measuring his words. Then, with a slow nod, he stood and turned toward the distant mountains. "Follow me."
They walked in silence for what felt like hours, traveling deeper into the forest surrounding the sect. The air grew cooler, the path narrower, and the sounds of the sect faded into nothingness. Lin Feng felt the weight of the journey pressing down on him, his thoughts swirling like a storm.
Finally, they reached a clearing, and at the center stood a stone archway, its surface covered in ancient carvings that Lin Feng didn't recognize. The archway stood like a gateway to another world, and Lin Feng could feel an ominous energy radiating from it.
"This is the Trial of the Heart," Master Jian said, his voice low. "The path through this arch will lead you to a place where your heart's deepest desires, your greatest fears, and your darkest impulses will manifest. The only way through is to confront them. To face them. And to emerge stronger."
Lin Feng's throat went dry. "What if I can't? What if I fail?"
Master Jian's eyes softened. "Failure is a part of the journey. But if you allow your heart to falter, if you let it guide you down a path of darkness, then the trial will consume you. You will lose yourself."
Lin Feng swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his decision. There was no turning back now.
He took a deep breath and stepped forward, crossing the threshold of the archway. As he did, the world around him seemed to shift. The trees, the sky, everything around him blurred, and then…
Everything went dark.
When Lin Feng's vision cleared, he found himself in a vast, empty space. The air was thick with a strange energy, and the ground beneath his feet felt unstable, as though it could collapse at any moment. The silence was deafening.
Suddenly, a voice echoed in the distance. "So, you've come."
Lin Feng's heart skipped a beat. He turned, and standing before him was a figure—one that he knew all too well. It was his reflection, but… not. The figure's face was twisted with a dark, malicious grin, and its eyes glowed with an unholy light.
"You think you can control the power within you?" the figure mocked. "You think you can resist the darkness? You're nothing but a fool, Lin Feng. You will never escape your true nature."
The words cut through him like a knife, and for a moment, Lin Feng felt the stirrings of doubt. The reflection stepped forward, its presence overwhelming, suffocating. Lin Feng could feel the pull, the temptation to give in, to let the darkness consume him and end his internal battle once and for all.
But then, in the deepest part of his soul, Lin Feng felt something else. A flicker of light. A spark of something pure.
"No," Lin Feng whispered, more to himself than to the reflection. "I won't let you control me."
The figure laughed, a hollow, mocking sound. "You have no choice. We are one and the same."
Lin Feng closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and remembered Master Jian's words. The heart leads the path. He couldn't let fear and doubt guide him. He had to face the darkness within him, not flee from it.
With a sudden surge of energy, Lin Feng raised his sword, the blade glowing with a fierce, brilliant light. He pointed it toward the reflection, his voice firm. "I am not you. I am Lin Feng."
The reflection's grin faltered, its eyes flickering with uncertainty. For the first time, it seemed to hesitate. And in that moment of hesitation, Lin Feng saw the truth: the darkness was only a part of him. It was not who he was.
With a final, decisive swing, Lin Feng struck. The figure shattered, crumbling into nothingness, and the darkness receded.
As the world around him began to shift again, Lin Feng felt a sense of peace settle over him. He had faced the trial—not just of his power, but of his heart. And for the first time in a long while, he felt like he had taken the first real step toward mastering himself.
When he opened his eyes, he was back in the clearing, standing before Master Jian. The old man's gaze was steady, unwavering.
"You've passed," Master Jian said quietly, his tone almost approving. "But remember, Lin Feng, the hardest trials are those we face within ourselves."
Lin Feng nodded, a quiet resolve building within him. The path ahead was still uncertain, but for the first time, he felt ready to walk it.
The Trial of the Heart was only the beginning.